Safety razor



June 16, 1936.

B. F. NlcoLL., SR 2,044,222

SAFETY RAZOR Filed June 29, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet l .me 16,- w. B. F NlCOLL, SR' 2,044,222

SAFETY RAZOR Filed June 29, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 SAFETY RAZOR Filed June 29, 1955 Y 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented June 16, 1936 UNHTEB S'AES attrezzi SAFETY RAZOR Benjamin F. Nicoll, Sr., New Orleans, La.

Application .lune 29, 1935, Serial No. 29,141 '1 Claims. (orso-35) This invention relates to safety razors and particularly to those razors which are adapted to use hollow ground razor blades having the same cross-sectional form and the same weight as the 5 blade of a barbers razor.

The general object of the present invention is to provide a holder adapted to clamp a razor blade of the character stated for use as a safety razor through which the blade may be readily l removed and replaced, in which the blade is clamped rmly in its shaving position within the holder but in which the blade may be released and readily pushed out of the holder for replacement or honing. l A further object is to provide a structure in which the blade holding head is capable of being turned to a honing position and the razor blade shifted out of the head but supported for honing or sharpening.

A further object in this connection is to provide means whereby the user of the safety razor can sharpen his razor blade in a simple, practical and fool-proof manner and which will enable him to keep a sharp edge o-n the blade at all times.

A further object is to provide a holder for relatively heavy razor blades, this holder being of such construction that the weight of the razor is considerably heavier than that of any other razor on the market and in which this dead weight of 30 the razor approximates the exertion put forth by a barber in shaving to thus secure a close and proper shave.

Other objects will appear in the course of the following description.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a vertical section through the preferred form of razor blade holder, the blade being shown in cross-section, the section being taken on 40 the line I-I of Figure 2;

Figure 2 is a sectional view on the line 2-2 of Figure l;

Figure 3 is an elevation showing the blade holding head of the holder shifted outward from the 45 handle to permit the blade holder to be turned to a stropping position;

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the holder with the head turned into alinement with the handle;

Figure 5 is an elevation of the same structure shown in Figure 4 but partly in section, showing the blade projected from the holder;

Figure 6 is a plan view of the structure shown in Figure 5, showing the blade projected and in 55 position for honing or sharpening;

Figure '7 is a section on the line I--l of Figure 3;

Figure 8 is a longitudinal section through a modified and simpler form of holder, the razor blade being in section;

Figure 9 is a fragmentary elevation showing the manner in which the blade is drawn out of the head;

Figure 10 is an end elevation of a composite blade; V

Figure 11 is a perspective view of an implement whereby the thin razor blade shown in Figure 10 may be forced out of the back in which the blade is mounted;

Figure 12 is an end elevation of the blade such as the blade shown in Figure 6, in position for honing, stropping or sharpening.

The simplest lform of my invention is illustrated in Figure 8, and hence I will describe this form rst.

Referring to these drawings, Ill designates an outer barrel of metal and -II a cap fitting upon the upper end of the b-arrel. The cap may have screw threaded engagement with the barrel or have a friction fit thereon. This cap I I is formed with a countersunk recess I2 on its underface and with a blade receiving portion I3 formed to provide two jaws I4 and I5 between which the margin of the blade is received, the recess I3 receiving the back of the blade. The other jaw I5 is formed with outwardly projecting fingers IB, as shown in Figure 6, which render the razor a safety razor. The two jaws, as shown in Figure 8, at the entrance to the back receiving recess I3 are arched outward and forward and engage the blade adjacent its extremity. This cap is formed with a screw threaded aperture il and the blade at its back is formed with a recess I8.

Extending through the barrel I0 and spaced from this barrel is a sleeve I9, the upper end of which is received in the countersink I2. The upper end of the sleeve I9 is formed with lugs 20 in the manner shown in Figure '7 for the razor blade holder illustrated in Figures 1 to 6, which are accommodated within the countersink I2, whereby to prevent any rotation of the head II upon the barrel III. Extending through the sleeve I9 is a locking rod 2 I The lower end of this rod is provided with a plug 22 tting within the lower extremity of the sleeve I0 and with a knurled head 23 whereby the locking rod 2l may be rotated. The upper end of this locking rod is provided with screw threads 24. The upper end of the sleeve I9 is formed with a circular recess 25 and engaging the lower ends of the screw threads 24 are a pair of nuts 26 which are circular and iit within this recess. When the parts are in the position shown in Figure 8, these nuts, which have free play in the circular recess 25 will be raised or spaced from the bottom of this recess so that upon rotation of the head 23, the screw threaded end of the locking rod 2| may be freely retracted from its engagement with the razor blade. When so retracted, the sleeve I9 and the rod 2| may be withdrawn from the barrel I0, and then this sleeve I9 with its rod 2| may be inserted between the jaws I4 and I5 in alinement with the back of the blade A, as shown in Figure 9, and the blade A may be drawn out of the holder. Instead of using the sleeve I9 for the purposeof pushing the blade out of the holder, as shown in Figure 9, an implement such as shown in Figure 11 may be used for this purpose, which has a handle B and a portion B', which has the same cross section as the cross section of the blade A.

It will be seen that the head of this blade holder is relatively heavy, that the blade itself `is heavy and concave ground and thus it has the same weight and momentum' when used as the regular barbers razor has. The parts 'maybe readilytakenapart for cleaning and the blade removed at any time for stropping or honing.

In Figures 1 to '7, Ihave illustrated the preferred form of my invention which is, however, slightly more complicated than the structure shownin Figure 8, because it provides means wherebythe blade may beshifted to'a lhoning Vposition 'without detaching the head from the handle or the blade itself from the locking rod. In these gures, 28 designates an outer barrel andk 29 anannular plug disposed-within the upper end of the barrel. The head 3|).- flts over the upper end of thel barrel,. as previously described, and isY provided with a countersink' 3I.- This head is constructed, as previously described, of two vjaws 32 and33, the back of the head being `formed -with a-recess 34 constituting a continuation of the inner faces of the-jaws and designed to receive the back of the blade `A. -This blade may be constructed eitheras shown in Figure.- v12 where the end of the blade is formed witha central bore va and with radial recesses a. or lmay. be constructed as shown inFigure 10, vwhere the blade proper and designated C is held between the jaws of va solid head D, this head having at its end thecentral bore a andthe radial grooves or recesses a". This backD constructedas shown-.in=Figuref10, enables a thin safety razor blade to 4be --used 4in my holder. Preferably, however, ahollowground blade, such as shownin Figure 12, will be used. One or both faces of the blade vA is provided with an indentation adapted to receive the end of' a locking rod as will nowbedescribed. Disposed within the barrel 28 .is asleeve 35 equivalentto the sleeve I9 previously referred to,-this'sleeve extending through the Aplug 29 and into the countersink 3| in the head30l. This sleeve Vat itsupper end, asshown in Figure '7, is. provided with the diametrically disposed radialV lugs 36 which engage in recesses formed in the bottom of the countersink 3|, these lugs thus holding the lhead` 30'from rotation relative to thesleeve 35.

Extending through this sleeve 35 and through the plug 31 carried within the barrel at-the lower end of'. the sleeve 35 is alocking rod 38 of the same characteras the locking rod 2| which at its upperY end is. screw threaded for engagement with nuts 39 disposed within the countersink 3|. This screw threadedend of theA locking -rod extends through an aperture in the head 30, .as shown,- in

Figure 1, and into engagement with a recess in the back of the blade A so that when this locking rod is in position shown in Figure 1, it clamps the blade A in place within the head. The lower end of the locking rod 38 extends through the plug 31 and is connected to a knurled operating head 40 which is adap-ted to have sliding movement within the sleeve 28. The sleeve 28 is provided with a longitudinally extending slot 4I and with a knurled slide 42, which is shown as embracing the barrel 28. A screw 43 extends through this slide and into the plug 31. Thus, it will be obvious that when this slide is shifted longitudinally along the slot 4I, the plug 31, the locking rod 38 `andthe sleeve will be projected, as shown in Figures 4, 5 and 6.

'As shown in Figure 5, the slot 4I is provided wi'th'an upwardly inclined offset 44 with which the pin or screw 43 is adapted to engage when the parts` are in the position shown in Figure 1, and which acts to hold the parts in this position until the knurled collar or slide 42 is rotated to carry the pin=43 out of its engagement with the slot 44. VThen the slide may be shifted along the barrel 28 in the manner shown in Figures' 5v and-'6.

As shownl in Figures 2` and 3, the head 30 is mounted upon a hinge element 45 which vis hinged, as at 4E, yto a sliding shank 41 which extends parallel' to the side wallof the barrel and bears aga-inst thissidewall and extends through a slot formed inA the plug 29, as shown most clearly in Figure 2. When the lockingrod 38is in locking engagement with the blade A, as shown in Figure 1, any swingingmovement of the head 3|) upon the 'hinge joint 46 isv prevented, but when it is desired to sharpen the razor, the locking rod is retracted from its engagement vwith the razor blade, the head 30 is held, and the barrel 28 drawn away from the head, as shown in Figure 3, to an extent- `permitted by the sliding bar 41 which'at its end has a limiting-stop'-41a, which limits themovement of the barrel with relation to this sliding VVbar. The parts will then be. in the position shown lin Figure 3, and under these circumstances, the head maybe swung upon` the` pivot-*4S in a counter-clockwise directiony in. Figure 2 to carry the notched end of the blade A downward into alinement with the locking rod, as shown in Figure 4. The locking rod is then rotated by 'means of the knurled handle 40 to cause the projection of the screw threaded end. of the locking rod into the central screw threadedopening a of the blade (either the bladeshown in Figure 1.0 or that'shown in Figure 12) and carry the lugs 36 on the extremity of the sleeve 35 into engagementwith the recesses a' of the blade. The blade-is then locked solidly in alinement with the sleeve 35vandwith the locking rod 38. This is the position shown in Figure 4. If -now the slide 42 be shiftedlongitudinally, as shown in Figure 5along the barr-el, the sleeve 35 will be projected out of the barrel carrying with vit the blade lA which will be projected out of theR head 30 in the manner shown in Fig-ure 6. In this position;A the blade may be honed. It will be noted that the blade is hollow. ground, as shown vin Figure 12, and that -when applied upon the hone I-I, the back of the blade will touch the surface-of the hone and the extreme cutting marginY of the blade will touch the hone. The diameter of the back and the hollow grinding of the blade :are soproportioned that the marginof the blade is given the proper angle to properlysharpen the blade. After the-blade-has been sharpenedor honed, the parts may be returned to their initial position by retracting the slide, carrying the blade into the. head 30, then disengaging the locking rod from the end of the blade, then swinging the blade upon its hinge to the position shown in Figure 3, shifting the head and barrel into engagement with each other, as shown in Figure 1, and then turning the locking rod 38 to bring it into engagement with the back of the blade, as also shown in Figures l and 2. The blade may be removed from th-e blade holding jaws of the head by retracting the locking rod to free the blade and then pushing the blade out by any suitable implement, such as the implement shown in Figure 11. It will be seen that in the preferred form of my structure, the blade need not be detached from its holder in order to strop it, and that when the blade is in a position for stropping, it has been projected from the jaws of the holding head so that it is entirely free for proper contact with the strop, hone or sharpening element. It will likewise be seen, as before stated, that the blade itself is relatively heavy and the head which holds the blade is relatively l" heavy and this heaviness plays a very important part in the shaving operation. The weight in this razor is considerably heavier than of any other razor on the market, and this weight is of extreme importance. A barber exerts muscular energy in using what is termed the master barbers' stroke, and this is part of his technique. The dead weight in the razor blade and clamping head which I have described is the equivalent of this muscular exertion put forth by the barber and in use, the blade which I have designed,

slides over the face without apparent effort, the operator simply guiding the razor. This is equally true of either the upward stroke or the downward stroke. Apparently it is the momentum of the blade, due to its weight which is the equivalent of the muscular energy put forth by the barber.

In connection with the showing of the relation of the parts in Figure 3, the sleeve 35 is shown advanced slightly sd that the lugs 36 are in position to engage in the groove a. In releasing the handle from the head so that the handle can be shifted to the position shown in Figure 3, when the screw 38 is dis-engaged from the head and the razor held in the position illustrated in Figure 3, the screw will move longitudinally of the sleeve until its threaded end is in the relation to the lugs 36 shown in Figure 3, at which time the lock nuts will be in the bottom of the recesses in which they are disposed. The entire sleeve may then be moved longitudinally of the handle by permitting the screw 43 carried by the slide 42 to slip out of the recess 44 into the lower end of the long recess 4i. This will bring the upper ends of the lugs and the end of the screw 38 into the plane of the upper end of the handle 28. At the same time that these actions are taking place, the entire handle assembly slides downwardly on the member 41. This action, as will be readily seen, effects the removal of the lugs and the threaded end of the screw 38 from their exposed positions at the upper end of the handle 28 so that undue extension of the handle on the part 4l is avoided and the handle may be conveniently swung around to its alined position with the end of the razor A in which it is shown in Figure 4.

While the drawings and description set forth the preferred design and arrangement of parts for the present invention, it is to be understood that slight changes and modifications may be made therein so long as such changes or modications mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:-

`1. A safety razor including a barrel constituting a handle, a blade clamping head detachably mounted on one end of the barrel and formed to provide a seat for the back of the blade and two jaws engaging opposite faces of the blade adjacent its edge, the ends of the head being open, a blade insertable in said head having a recess in its back confronting the barrel, the edge of the blade projecting out between said jaws, and a locking rod extending through the barrel having a knurled head at one end bearing against the adjacent extremity of the barrel, the other end of the locking rod being screw threaded for engagement through the head, the extremity of the locking rod engaging in said recess in the back of the blade.

2. A safety razor blade holder including a barrel constituting a handle, a blade clamping head having a socket receiving one end of the barrel, the head being formed to provide a seat for the back of the razor blade and two jaws engaging opposite faces of the blade, a sleeve disposed within the barrel, the socket on the head being countersunk for the reception of the sleeve and the bottom of said countersink being formed with recesses, the sleeve at its upper end having lugs engaging in said recesses and a locking rod extending through the sleeve, one end of thelocking rod having a knurled head bearing against the outer end of the barrel, the other end of the locking rod being screw threaded for engagement through the head, the extremity of the locking rod impinging against the blade disposed within said head.

3. A safety razoi` blade holder including a head open at its ends, the head being formed to provide a seat for the back of the razor blade and two jaws engaging opposite faces of the blade, a barrel constituting a handle and inserted in the head, a sleeve disposed within the barrel and at o-ne end having an axial recess and at this end having interlocking engagement with the head, the head having a screw threaded aperture extending from the socket for the handle into said recess for holding the back of the blade, a locking rod extending through the sleeve and at one end having a knurled head engaging against the sleeve and against the adjacent end of the barrel, the other end o-f said locking rod being screw threaded and engaging through the screw threaded aperture in the first named head and adapted to impinge against the blade, and nuts disposed within the axial recess in the sleeve with which said screw threads engage.

4. A safety razor blade holder including a barrel constituting a handle, a blade clamping head detachably engaged with the handle and formed to provide a seat for the back of a blade and two jaws engaging opposite faces of the blade, an element having sliding engagement with the barrel and to which the head is hinged whereby when the element is shifted outward, the head may be turned to carry one open end into alinement with the barrel, means disposed within the barrel for clamping the blade Within the head and holding the head on the barrel when the head is in shaving position or forcing the blade out of the head when the head is in alinement with the barrel, said means having detachable locking engagement withthe bladewhen the Yblade isin alinement with'the` barrel.

5. A safety razor holder includingA ay barrel constituting a handle, a; blade holding head detachably engaged with the handle, the head being open at its opposite ends and formed to provide a seat for the back of the blade and two jaws engaging on opposite faces of the blade adjacent the end thereof, an element having sliding engagement with the barrel and to which the head is hinged whereby when the element is shifted outward from the barrel the head may be turned into alinement with the barrel, a sleeve disposed within the barrel and projectable through one 'end of the barrel into and through said head when the head is turned into alinement with the barrel, saidsleeve having means at its extremity for engaging a razor blade and holding it from rotation, said means acting when the head is in shaving vposition on the barrel to detachably engage the Yblade and hold the blade from shiftlng.

V6. 'A safety razorincluding a barrel constituting a handle, a blade clamping head detachably engaged with one end of the barrel and normally disposed-at right angles to the barrel, the head being open at its ends and being formed to provide a seat for the back of the razor blade and two jaws adapted toengage on opposite sides of the blade, a' blade insertable in said head and having a relatively thick back engageable Within the seat, one end of the back of the blade having a screw threaded aperture and radial recesses, an element slidingly engaged with the barrel and having hinged engagement with the head to permit the head to be shifted outward from the barrel and then turned into alinement with the barrel, a sleeve disposed within the barrel and longitudinally slidable therethrough, a locking rod carried by said sleeve and extending centrally therethrough normally projecting' beyond the sleeve and having its projecting end `screw threadedV for engagement with the head, the extremity of the; locking rod normally-bearing: against the back ofk the bladewhen the' head is in shaving 5 position; the locking rod being retractible through' thesleeve suiii'cientlyY to disengagev it from the head and blade, and1means on the exterior of the barrel whereby the sleeve and the locking rod mayv be shifted longitudinally through the head 10)'V when the latterV is turned into alined position with the barrel. to thus project the blade outward from thehead,v the extremity of the lockingrod engaging with the screwl threaded aperturein the vb-lade and theextremity'of the sleeve Ahaving 15y lugsengaging in the recesses on theA ends -ofthe blade to thus prevent the lblade from turning with relation to the sleeve and'permit the'blade to bestropped. Y

"7. AA safety'razor including a barrel constitutf ing a handle-'a blade clampinghead open-at--its endsand' formed to provide a seat forthe'baclr of the blade and two jaws engaging opposite'faces of the blade,an element'havingslidingf engage-A ment Vwith the barrel'and to which the headr is' 25 hinged whereby when theelement is shifted out ward, the head may be turned -intoalinement with the barrel, means disposed within the barrel and rotatable to lock the head on the barrelwith the head in shaving position, said means when the 30 head is turned into alinement with the barrel-being projectable through the' head to forcea blade" out of said head, andabIade-adapted' to be dis-v posed'within the head; said means being formedto have screw threaded engagementwithone end 35 of .the blade and being formed to interlock with the blade to hold the blade from rotation around the'axis of said-means.

-BENMMINfv F. -N1CoLL,.-sR. 40 

